Milling machine



4, 1932= T. EARLE 1,881,230

MILLING MACHINE Filed April 20. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

INVENTOR.

WXVMEX A TT ORNE Y.

Oct. 4, 1932.

T. EARLE 1,881,230

MILLING MACHINE Filed April 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MAE-M ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 4. 1932 PATENT OFFICE THEODORE EARLE, 01 DENVER, COLOR-ADOMILLING MACHINE Application filed April 20, 1928. Serial No. 271,504.

My invention relatesto millingmachines, more especially to such machineswinch are adapted to handle conglomerate or other substances includingconstituents of difier'en't hardness and the, separation thereof,whereby my process may be carried out.

I In some m'aterialssu'ch as vanadium deposits or ochre, the valuableconstituent 1s soft and is mechanically or physically but a notchemically combined with the 'gangue.

But in spite of such combination the valuable constituents often adhereto the gangue to such an extent that their economical separation on acommercial scale may present a quite a problem.

The object of this invention is td provide a machine for treating andseparating such conglomerate substances in which the con-. stituents ofthe substance may be dlsasso'ciated by ri'ibbing, and subsequentlyseparated.

My machine intermittently subjects the material to a rubbing actionbetween two relatively moving and intermittently separating rubbingsurfaces of different hardness,

and thereby rubbing the softer material from association with the hardermaterial and a1- lowing the harder material to temporarily sink intothe; softer of the two rubbing-surfaces to avoid its crushing,splintering or powdering;the intermittent action p'rovid-. ing a coolingeffect on the materialand the surfaces, and also assisting in thedisassocration of the constituentsofjthecongloinerat'e substancestreated.

The constituents of the conglomerate substance are next separated, whichseparation is a part of my process, though i t may be performed in somecases hydraulically "at the time of the disassociation of theconstituents, or in the dry method, it may be performed subsequently tothe 'disassociation stage, except in the case of some special substancesnoted below.

If performed subsequent to the dis'assoc ation stage, the se aration maybe made by any of the air and gravity methods, or hydraul'ical ly,pneumatically, chemically, electrically, magnetically,electrmstatically,or in any other well knownor proper manner.

But, since the various devices and methods by whichthe constituents maybe separated after their dry disassociati'on are no part of thisinvention, they are not shown nor further "described in detail herein-The construction of the device whereby the above process may be put intooperation is shown in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation in partial section of the preferred form of my device, adaptedfor dry operation.

Figure 2 is a plan view of my machine.

Figure 3 is a side elevation in partial section of a modified form of mydevice to be used in wet operation combined with hydraulic separation ofthe constituents of the substance being treated. I

, Figure (his a plan View of the machine shown in Figure 3. r i

In the device as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the frame 1 supports therocker shaft brackets 2, which are provided with the roller pins 2, uponwhich the rollers 3 are mounted. V r

The frame 1 also supports the pillow blocks 4 in which the shaft 5 iscarried. The shaft 5 is to be revolved by any proper drivmg means. 7

Upon the rollers 3 is mounted a tank provided with the angle irons '7,which act as tracks contacting with the rollers The rollers 13 aremounted on pins carried by the brackets 2 and are adapted to preventrising of the angle irons 7 by contact therewith. V

The tank is also provided with the removable rubbing bottom 8, of anyproper material as mentioned further, below, properly attached tothetank bottom 8", and isalso provided with the sides '9 to which theangle irons 7 are properly attached, and the removable end plate 10. I

The frame 1 as shown is composed of timbers fitted and bolted together,but it may be provided with metal reinforcements, or may be madeentirely of metal or of concrete or of any other proper material andconstruction so long as'it properly performs the function required to beperformed by the frame as shown.

The rocker shaft brackets 2 carry therocker shafts 13.

Upon one rocker shaft 13 are properly fitted and keyed the rocker shaftarms 14, which have bifurcated outer ends.- upon all of the rockershafts are properly fittedand keyed the rocker shaft bellcranks 15,provided with the short double arms '15.

The ends of thebellcranks 15 are joined by a built up tie rod composedof the slotted clevis 17, the slotted clevis 17*, the slotted 3 doubleclevis 18, and the rods 19, whereby all to rock in unison.

the bellcranks are made to move inunison, and all the rockershafts aretherefore made between the outer ends of the bellcranks, the

adjustments being locked by the nuts 20.

'7 The bellcranks'15 are attachedto the built up tie rod by the pins 21,held in placeby the cotter pins 22.

' upp Any other. proper adjustable means :for

v connecting the rocker shafts so they will be forced torock togethermay be employed so long as the same results are obtained as in theconstruction shown. p i

The'shaft 5 is provided with the crank pin 23, upon which is mounted thebifurcated lower lifting rod end'24, having a reduced 7 portion 25, andan enlarged shoulder25.

The portion 25' fits slidably in thebo re of the lifting rod upper end26, which is pivotally mounted on the rocker shaft'arm 14, by the'pin27, which pin is, held in place by the cotter pins 27'. g I Y The lowerface of the lifting rod upper end 26 is provided with the flange26.

Between the upper end of the portion 25 of the lower end 24 and the endof the bore in the upper end 26 is the spring 28, adapted to cushion thecontact between the two ends of the lifting rod.

To the bottom of thebeams 8' arelattached" the pillow blocks 29 for thewrist pinshaft 30, whichis carriedbythem.

I The connecting rod 31is mounted upon the crankpin '23 and; the wristpin shaft 3O, is

"straddled on the pin 23 by the bifurcated lifting rod lower end. 24.

Mounted on the arms 16 by the pins 16 are the pivoted hangers 33. Thepins 16," are. held in place-by the cotter pins 16". i i

I The stirrups 34 are slidably mounted on the squared armlportio'n ofthe hangers 33.

Threaded through the other arm of the hangers '33 are the doublediameter threaded V adjusting bolts 37, which are locked in "place 2 bythe large diameter lock nuts 36. it 'The small diameter portion of thebolts 37 pass through the stirrups 34,1the position of the stirrups 34being lockedby thecastle nuts 38, which are threaded upon'the smalldiameter portion of the bolts 37.

And

The squared end of the small diameter portion of the bolts 37 is used inmaking the adjustment. V

The mullers 39 are pivotally suspended from the bolts 37, between thestirrups 34 and the shoulder furnished by the large diameter portionthereof, and their positions with respect-to the pins 16 may be alteredbyadjustment of the large diameter of the bolts 37 and the lock nuts 36.I V 1 Tothe lower face. of each-muller 39 is attached the muller plate40, preferably of rubber, though it may be made of any other propermaterial, or even integral with the "muller 39, so long as its hardnessis difierent from that of the tank rubbing bottom 3.. The tank rubbingbottom 8 may also be made of any suitable material providedit has ahardness different from that of the,

' As shown, the muller plates 40 are attached 3 by a plural dovetailconstruction to the .mullers, but any, other suitable means ofattachment may be employed provided it gives the same reliable result.

The position and proportions of the parts are such as to bringth'efcenter of gravity of the muller plates," mullers, and assemblywhich is suspended from the pins 16", substantially in line with theirpoint of support. The adjustment provided by the bolts 37 a'nd the nuts36 and 38, permit movement of the assembly to alterthe relativepositions of said centers of gravity and the pins 16' so as to changethe hanging positions or slope of the lower faces of the muller plates40.

In addition to this adjustment the various compartments formed by the,ribs of the muller may be filled with weights as desired to assistinproviding any required change 7 in balance of the muller assembly onits support, or to add various degrees of pressure to the rubbingsurfaces. f j

The grizzly plate'4l is mounted upon the sides-9 of the tank under thefeed bin 42. and is of such length as to' support the feed flap 43during the entire stroke of the tank. The flap 43 of'rubber or any othersuitable material, is attached to the bin 42 and in conjunction with thegrizzly plate 41 and the feed gate 44, and the reciprocating movement ofthe tank, controls the feed of the material to be treated, from the bin42 to the :tankf The material is fed from the bin 42, moves downwardalongthe tank rubbing bottom 8 under the action. of the mullers and itsown reciprocation, as will appear below, and is discharged into the bin45, whence it is removedfor the purpose of the separation of 7 ordirectly into any proper part or stage of the constituents of thesubstance, as mentioned above, by conveyors or in any other propermannen Orthe material may if desired be directly discharged upon aconveyor 'aration stage of my process.

9 cushion as well as the diameters of the shoul- The actual operation ofthe device in the passage of the material from the bin 42 to thedischarge end of the tank is as follows 2 When the shaft 5 is revolvedas-indicated by the arrow, from the position shown 1n Figure 1, the tankwill roll downward upon the rollers 3 to the'p'osition indicated by thedotted lines, this movement being due to the connecting rod 31.

During this down stroke the lifting rod lower end 24 will first moveupward in the bore of the upper end 26, compressing the spring 28 tillthe relative movement of the ends 24 and 26 is stopped by the pressureof the shoulder 25 against the flange 26, the impact being cushioned bythe intervening rubber cushion 32.

The diameter and thickness of the rubber ders 25 and the flanges 2-6"are to be properly proportioned to the requirements of the particularmachine upon which they are mounted, and the particular material beingtreated and the results desired.

Under some conditions the cushion 32 may be eliminated so that theshoulders 25 may contact directly with the flanges 26.

This initial movement 'of the lifting rod raises the end of the rockershaft arms 1 L, which rocks all the rocker shafts due to theirinterconnection.

The movement of the rocker shafts raises the mullers and they areheldsuspended by I first an increasing and then a decreasing amount tillthe downward stroke of the tank is practically completed.

1 moving the support of the lower ends of the lifting rods and allowingthe mullers to rest their weight upon the material on the tank rubbingbottom 8. As the movement of the crank pin 23 continues, the reducedportion 25 of the lifting rod lower end 24 is partially withdrawn andlater returned in the bore of the lifting rod upper end 26.

Thus the mullers rest upon and rub upon the material on the tank rubbingbottom 8 during practically the entire upward stroke of the tank. I

In this action the rubber faces of the mullers rub the soft materialfrom theharder material, reducing it to a finer condition, whileallowing the harder material to sink temporarily into the rubber beforebeing crushed, splintered or powdered.

In some materials the softer constituent will, after disassociation berubbed together into a cohesive mass, thereby giving a separation of theconstituents practically at the same time as the disassociation. Butwith most materials this will not be the case.-

At each upward stroke of thetank some of the material is brush-ed out ofthe bottom of the tank by the action of the lowermost muller.

And at each downward stroke of the tank fresh material is fed from thebin 42 under I the gate 44, off of the. feed flap 43, and through thegrizzly plate 41 to the tank rubbing bottom 8, where it is ready for theaction of the uppermost muller on the'succeeding upstroke of the tank.

The intermittent raising of the mullers from the material being treatedpermits air to circulate under the mullers and cool both the mullers,the rubbing bottom, and also the material being treated. I

This intermittent separation of the mullers and the material alsopermits the soft constituents rubbed free on. the previous rubbingstroke to fall and the harder constituents to separate from the mullersso that both constituents may assume new positions and permit moreeffective results by the rubbing of the succeeding stroke.

The intermittent separation of the two rubbing surfaces therefore notonly tends to cool the surfaces and the material, but also adds to theefiiciency of the rubbing action of the two surfaces upon themateriala'nd hastens the disassociation of the eon stituents.

Under other conditions the sleeves 35 and the bolts and nuts 37 and 38may be used to alter the hang of the mullers on the pins 16' so that theplates 40 will be at a slight angle with the tank rubbing bottom 8, thusproviding a wedge of material under the mullers 3 which wedge is thickerat the uppermost end of each muller. c

All the mullers may thus be set to have the same angle with the tankrubbing bottom 8,

or each succeeding lower m'ul-ler may have a slightly smaller angle, orany other setting of the mullers may be made as dictated by thematerials and the conditions of each case, as well as the resultsdesired.

Weighing certain compartments of the q The mullers have a universalmounting due mit the harder material to temporarily sink therein toavoid being crushed, splintered or powdered; the intermittent actionprovides a cooling effect on both tank bottom, muller plates, and thematerial being treated, and by permitting the constituents to assume newpositions during the movement of the tank when'the mullers are raised,assists in the disassociation of the constituents.

"The next stage in my process, that of separation of the disassociatedconstituents, may 'be performed either wet or dry, and if the machineshown in Figures 1 and 2 is em ployed, the separation stage is entirelydistinct from the disassociation stage, except with some few specialsubstances noted above in which the softer constituents form a cohesivemass mullers. 7 7

But, if the d1sassoc1at1on-stage 1s perunder the action of the formedunder water, which is possible, and

even desirable under some conditions, the separatmnstage may beperformed in the same machme directly subsequent to the dls- 1association stage, so that the disassociation and separation may both betaking place at thesame time, some portions of the material being inthe'disassociation stage while preceding portions are in the separationstage.

The modified form of my machine in which the disassociationand theseparation stages are combined is shown in Figures 3 and 4t.

The pulp is fed to the tank 1 through the launder 46 or in any otherapproved manner,

falling into one of the mullers which is pro vided with distributionoutlet holes 7 6. The removable tail plate 47, provided with theoverflow edge 48, is attached to the sides 9 and the tank bottom 8",providing a liquid tight vat at the lower end of the tank.

The liquid portions of the pulp overflow at the overflow edge 48.

s The agitation of the pulp in the vat, due to the reciprocation of thetank and to the rise and fall of the mullers, acts to put the softer andfiner constituentsfof the material being treated in suspensionwherebythey may overflow with the liquid at the overflow edge 48.

In this form ofmy machine the bin 42 and the end plate'10 are dispensedwith.

Also, the direction of rotation of the shaft tioned 5 is reversed, asindicatedby the arrow in Figure 3.

Thus, on the down stroke of the crank pm 23 from the'position showninFigure 3, the mullers will be allowed to rest upon the tank rubbingbottom8', and on the upstroke of the tankthe mnllerswi'llbe lifted. v,

The rubbing action of the two; rubbing surfaces upon the material beingtreated will be the same, except the relative'movement of the rubbingsurfaces and their intermittent separation will be such as to move thematerial upward along the'tank rubbing bottom 8 on each downwardstrokeof the tank.

The upper-most-mullertt) has its flatrubbing surfaceremoved to theupperedges of the cross r bs where'lt acts as a support for the r1bs ,leav1ngthe lower edges of the ribs alone to contact withthe tank rubbing bottom8. V

' This causes the upper-most muller to act as a rake to prevent thematerial on the tank rubblng bottom 8 from moving downward on sults inthe material being finally discharged at the discharge lip 50, where itmay be disposed-of in any proper manner. V

The upper-most muller 49 may be made of the downward stroke of the tank.This rerubber or any other proper material depending upon the materialbeing treated and the conditions of each case. l y

In this formof the device, therefore, the disassociation stage takesplace by rubbing between the two rubbing surfaces under liquid, and theseparation stage takes place directly after the disassociation of anyportion of the material bysuspension of the softer and finerconstituents and their overflow at the overflow edge 48, while thecoarser and harder material travels'upward in successlve steps due tothe strokesof the tank,

moving upward along the tank rubbingbottom 8-tothe discharge lip 50.

sociation stage is carried out, it is performed by rubblng the materialbetween two relatively moving rubbing surfacesfof dlfl'erent hardness,which surfaces separate intermit- It will be observed that however thedisastently. In the dry disassociation, the separation of the rubbingsurfaces allows an inrush of air between the two surfaces, and in thewet clisassociation the separation of the rubbing surfaces allowsaninrushofliquid and In elthercase the rubpulp between them. .bingsurfaces and the material are cooled, and a rearrangement of theparticles of the material is allowedto take place so that the nextrubbing stroke may be upon newly posiparticles and for that reasoneffective.

I am aware, of course,'of variations in both my process and my machinesfor the opera? tion of my process and which any competent mill man wouldperceive, and all of which are within the scope of my invention, So,'Ido not wish to limit my protection narrowly to the exact description andillustration contained herein, but what I claim as new, and desireto-protect by Letters Patent, is as follows v 1. In a device for thedisassociation of the separable constituents of a substance, supportmeans, a rubbing surface mounted to reciprocate thereon, a secondrubbing surface adapted to rest upon the first rubbing surface, liftingmeans mounted on said support means and connected to the second rubbingsurface to normally hold it from reciprocation with the first surface,means connected to the first surface and adapted to reciprocate sameupon an outward and a return stroke, and means connected to said liftingmeans and adapted to operate same to lift the second rubbing surfacecompletely from the first rubbing surface during one of said strokes.

2. In a device for the disassociation of the separable constituents of asubstance, support means, a rubbing surface mounted to 1 reciprocatethereon, a second rubbing surface of different hardness from the firstrubbing surface and adapted to rest thereon, lifting means mounted onsaid support means and connected to the second rubbing surface tonormally hold it from reciprocation with the first surface, meansconnected to the first surface and adapted to reciprocate same upon andoutward and a return stroke, and means connected to the said liftingmeans and adapted to operate same to lift the entire second surfacecompletely free from the first surface during one of said strokes.

3. In a device for the disassociation of the separable constituents of asubstance, support means, a sloping rubbing surface mounted toreciprocate thereon, a second rubbing surface adapted to rest upon thefirst rubbing surface, lifting means mounted on said support means andconnected to the second rubbing surface to normally hold it fromreciprocationwith the first surface, means connected to the'firstrubbing surface and adapted to reciprocate same upon an outward and areturn stroke,

and means connected to said lifting means and adapted to operate same tolift the entire second surface from the first surface during one of saidstrokes.

4. In a device for the disassooiation of the separable constituents of asubstance, support means, a sloping surface mounted to reciprocatethereon, a second rubbing surface of different hardness from the firstsurface and adapted to rest thereon, one of said surfaces being softerthan the hardest of said constituents, lifting means mounted on sa dsupport means and connected to the second rubbing surface to normallyhold it from reciprocation with the first surface, means connected tothe first rubbing surface and adapted to reciprocate same upon anoutprovided with means for reciprocation upon an outward and a returnstroke, a second rubbing surface adapted to rest thereon, lifting meansconnected to the second rubbing surface to normally hold it fromreciprocation with the first surface, and means connected to the liftingmeans and adapted to operate sale to lift the second entire surfaceduring one of the strokes of the first surface.

6. In a milling device a rubbing surface provided with means forreciprocation upon an outward and a return stroke, a second rubbingsurface adapted to rest thereon, lifting means connected to the secondrubbing surface, and means connected to the lifting means and adapted tooperate same to lift the entire second surface during one of saidstrokes, including two members having pressure surfaces adapted totransmit pressure during one of said strokes and to separate during theother of said strokes.

7. In a milling device, a rubbing surface provided with means forreciprocation upon an outward and a return stroke, a second rubbingsurface adapted to rest thereon, lifting means connected to the secondrubbing surface, and means connected to the lifting means and adapted tooperate same to lift the second surface during one of said strokesincluding two members having pressure surfaces and resilient meansintervening therebetween and adapted to transmit pressure through saidresilient means during one of said strokes and to separate from eachother during the other stroke.

8. In a. milling device, a rubbing surface provided with means forreciprocation upon an outward and a return stroke, a second rubbingsurface adapted to normally rest thereon, lifting means connected to thesecond rubbing surface, and means connected to the lifting means andadapted to operate same to lift the second surface from contact with thefirst surface during one of said strokes, including two members andresilient, pressure-transmitting means to transmit pressure between saidtwo members whereby the first surface will be lifted during one of saidstrokes.

In testimony wherof I aflix my signature.

THEODORE EARLE.

Ice

